inventor skill - what's the point?

[secretID]

Since you can't "invent" powers, what can you use the Inventor skill for? I can see it as complementary to a VPP skill, but not much else.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: inventor skill - what's the point?

 

You can use it to research scientific breakthroughs which become the rationale for developing new powers. You can use it to devise the gizmo that will nullify your nemesis's abilities or stop the planet-destroying whatzit from destroying the planet. You can use it to develop the cosmotronic hoo-hah that will win you the envy of your peers in your field and a lucrative patent.

 

Sometimes your non-combat abilities can be more creative and fun than your combat ones.

[secretID]

Re: inventor skill - what's the point?

 

You can use it to research scientific breakthroughs which become the rationale for developing new powers.

Hmm...so you might not be able to spend your XP w/o it? Maybe...

You can use it to devise the gizmo that will nullify your nemesis's abilities or stop the planet-destroying whatzit from destroying the planet.

I hadn't thought of a GM allowing something that powerful from a skill. That's certainly handy, if possible.

You can use it to develop the cosmotronic hoo-hah that will win you the envy of your peers in your field and a lucrative patent.

"Lucrative patent" sounds like XP spent on money. Envy of peers is always nice, I guess (XP on rep?).

Sometimes your non-combat abilities can be more creative and fun than your combat ones.

Sure. But for a guy who already has a bunch of SS, I was just wondering whether Inventor was any more useful than, say, a musical skill in a supers game.

[Egyptoid]

Re: inventor skill - what's the point?

 

Sometimes your non-combat abilities can be more creative and fun than your combat ones.

 

That's why Batman is just as Expensive as Superman to build.

 

Captain America costs as Much as Mister Fantastic.

 

but I digress. In my current Game, the HIGH EVOLUTIONARY uses Inventor all the time, justifying slots in his VPP and the cause/effect with Transforms.

[Susano]

Re: inventor skill - what's the point?

 

Since you can't "invent" powers' date=' what can you use the Inventor skill for? I can see it as complementary to a VPP skill, but not much else.[/quote']

 

You can use it in non-Supers games to do all sorts of things. In Fantasy games it becomes "Spell Research."

[boomer]

Re: inventor skill - what's the point?

 

Like has been mentioned...think Mr. Fantastic or Forge from the X-Men. I had a player who had a power armor character who had a high INT and used a stun ray......but he had inventor skill and invented our underwater Base and other things we needed.

[mojo_bones]

Re: inventor skill - what's the point?

 

Or to figure out what a crazy invention the super baddie used and how it general works. I agree it also helps to "make sense" when a gadgeteer suddenly has a new power or just to show that he actually invented most of the stuff he uses. I have found it useful both on it's own and as a complimentary skill.

[ghost-angel]

Re: inventor skill - what's the point?

 

Sometimes it's the Power Skill equivalent of VPP Skill Rolls.

 

A lot of times, in Superheroic at least, it's the REASON you have such cool toys.

[Utech]

Re: inventor skill - what's the point?

 

The ability of a PC to analyze, reverse engineer, and then use Inventor provide a counter for supervillain (or alien/mystic) technology can be a great plot device.

 

The urge to find special materials, construction techniques, or data can spark an entire game. Use of Inventor (successful and otherwise) throughout that game can provide twists and turns.

[Sketchpad]

Re: inventor skill - what's the point?

 

I could also be used to do things like Power Stunts, but on a gadgets level.

[SSgt Baloo]

Re: inventor skill - what's the point?

 

I've often seen it used as the skill that allows the Super-Scientist to figure out what the mysterious alien device actually does and figure out whether you need to find the off switch or protect it from harm, and how to do either most effectively. Likewise I've allowed demolitions skill to help characters figure out "what destroyed the bridge" or "how to bring the skyscraper down on the monster's head."

 

I always liked to encourage my players to buy interesting skills, and found that they are more likely to buy them if they can do something more exciting than "you need that skill to spend experience on "X".

[Cassandra]

Re: inventor skill - what's the point?

 

The Inventor skills could be used as a modified Variable Advantage based on either the skills the character has, or the powers they have for.

 

If the character gets their hands on a piece of enemy equipment they might be able to modify it for there how use as long as they had inventing and other usable skills like electronics, mechanics, or a science.

 

If the character needs to modifier his own powers he doesn't require other skills because you don't need additional skills for powers you've paid for.

 

The Variable Disadvantages rules should be used at the same time for any successful Inventor rolls.

 

A blown roll should be treated as a Side Effect.

[proditor]

Re: inventor skill - what's the point?

 

I could also be used to do things like Power Stunts' date=' but on a gadgets level.[/quote']

 

QFT. Inventor seems like it functions as the Power skill when applied this way. And what a basic trope, after all, at least once a year a certain billionaire facist playboy rewires some part of his tesselated armored long johns to do something they normally don't do, right?